'The Business of Health Care Report'

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I’m Doug Hawthorne, CEO of Texas Health Resources, with “The Business of Heath Care Report.”

THR’s mission is to improve the health of the people in the communities we serve – including employees, volunteers, physicians, patients and visitors. With this in mind, THR has adopted a policy prohibiting the use of tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco, on all THR campuses effective November 15, 2007.

Already, some cities in North Texas, along with several businesses and health service centers, have gone smoke free.

THR is going one step further by also banning smokeless tobacco. We believe this will help lower health care costs by creating a healthier environment.

People deserve clean air and a healthy atmosphere.

Today, 21 states, the District of Columbia and more than 2,500 communities have smoke-free laws in place. Unfortunately, that means a large part of the population in the United States is still not protected from secondhand smoke. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated three thousand Americans die every year from lung cancer caused by exposure to secondhand smoke.

Businesses and communities everywhere are starting to realize the benefits of establishing a smoke-free or tobacco-free environment. THR is doing its part by providing a healthier place for patients, visitors, employees and physicians. I’m proud of our health system for helping us all breathe a little easier.

For Texas Health Resources and its faith-based hospitals – Harris Methodist, Presbyterian and Arlington Memorial – I’m Doug Hawthorne.